Community input sought for Jefferson-Chalmers master plan

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The Vanity BallroomCourtesy Jefferson East, Inc.

You can’t draft a master plan for a community without involving the community itself.

That’s the message coming out of Jefferson-Chalmers this week as a week-long master planning and design process is set to begin with a community workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Hope Community Church.

The master plan, titled "Building Jefferson-Chalmers Together, a Jefferson-Chalmers Mainstreet Master Plan," is the result of a partnership between East Jefferson Development Corporation, or EJDevCo, and Jefferson East, Inc.

The goal is to guide and spur development along the Jefferson corridor. The public sessions will help inform that guide.

"As development begins to move into Detroit’s neighborhoods, it’s important that it is inclusive of the thoughts and ideas of the residents in those communities," says EJDevCo Chief Executive Officer Derric Scott.

"As part of our Inclusive Neighborhood Development Principles, I’m excited about the opportunity to provide the community with a direct voice about the type of development they want to see in their community, how we deliver on it, and how the community can remain a part of it."

Additional events include open studio hours from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. on both Wednesday, Aug. 28 and Thursday, Aug. 29. There will also be a public pin-up and preferred concepts presentation on Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

The draft master plan will be presented on Friday, Aug. 30, at an event scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Each event is located at Hope Community Church and is free and open to the public.

"Detroiters love and know their neighborhoods better than anyone else, and they must drive and inform new developments coming to Jefferson-Chalmers," says JEI Chief Executive Officer Josh Elling.

"We’re eager to work closely with EJDevCo, residents and business owners to create a plan that preserves one of Detroit’s most historic business districts."

Hope Community Church is located at 14456 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit.

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